This begins a series of posts detailing my thoughts on the process of adult development.
I have always been fascinated and attracted to the stages of psychosocial development put forth by the psychologist Erik Erikson. Erikson was "the man" not only for his model, which is still relevant today, but also for achieving prominence in the fields of psychoanalysis and developmental psychology without so much as a bachelor’s degree. For anyone not familiar with his stages, here’s a look…
Erikson believed that we all go through a set of predictable stages across the lifespan and at each of these stages are faced with a specific conflict that must be resolved.
1. Infancy: Birth to 18 months
· Trust vs. Mistrust: In response to our environment, we either develop trust in others and a belief that our actions matter, or mistrust and a general sense of worthlessness.
2. Early Childhood: 18 months to 3 years
· Autonomy vs. Shame: As we work to master new skills such as toilet training and walking, we can develop either positive self-esteem, or shame and doubt.
3. Play Age: 3-5 years
· Initiative vs. Guilt: As we achieve greater autonomy, we either develop increased initiative to meet our own needs, or guilt over having those needs and desires.
4. School Age: 6-12 years
· Industry vs. Inferiority: As we branch out from the family into school and peer groups, we either become confident in our new abilities or develop feelings of inadequacy.
5. Adolescence: 12-18 years
· Identity vs. Role Confusion: As we enter adolescence, we are faced with the challenge of understanding ourselves apart from others. Erikson believed that we either develop a personal "identity" or risk developing role confusion and an "identity crisis."
6. Young Adulthood: 18-35 years
· Intimacy vs. Isolation: As we search for satisfying adult relationships (through marriage, work, or otherwise), we either experience real intimacy with others (which includes appreciating both the similarities and differences between ourselves and others) or fail to develop satisfying relationships. We may force others to be more like us in order to create the illusion of intimacy or begin to distance ourselves by, for example, developing feelings of superiority towards others.
7. Middle Adulthood: 35-65
· Generativity vs. Self Absorption: As we begin to gain real power and control over our lives and futures, we are either able to care for others and contribute to the betterment of society, or become increasingly self-absorbed.
8. Late Adulthood: 65 to death
· Integrity vs. Despair: With the work of Middle Adulthood complete, this stage is less about preparing ourselves for the future, as it is about coming to terms with the past. We can either look back on our lives with a sense of contribution and happiness or become consumed by our perceived failures and lack of purpose.
My primary focus for this post is Erikson's view of adolescence as a time for resolving the identity vs. role confusion conflict. My guess is that Erikson would have taken one look at my blog and labeled me a victim of an identity crisis. Here, though, I might have to take issue with Mr. Erikson. Taking a closer look at his definition, he described identity as
"a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world image. As a quality of un-self conscious living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has found his communality. In him we see emerge a unique unification of what is irreversibly given--that is, body type and temperament, giftedness and vulnerability, infantile models and acquired ideals--with the open choices provided in available roles, occupational possibilities, values offered, mentors met, friendships made, and first sexual encounters."
As a lifelong wanderer, I can’t help but see the draw of Erikson’s notion of identity. To completely know on a deep unconscious level one’s strengths and weaknesses, ideals and values, and role in society, and to understand this all in the context of both how we view ourselves and how others perceive us…is there any doubt as to the calming effect this would have on the psyche? And while I completely agree that we should all be striving to achieve this level of continuity and knowledge in our lives, I must also question Erikson on a few levels. 1) The idea that we should all successfully achieve an "identity" by the age of 18 seems an outdated concept, particularly in this whacked out modern age where we are overwhelmed with information, can fly to India or China in a less than a day, and must adapt to relatively constant change. As a result, I believe that identity formation may be more of a lifelong process (requiring work and attention throughout the lifespan) than a concrete task. 2) Maintaining a certain level of developmental capacity as an adult may be a virtue in a world where, at any moment, one may have to adapt to change (whether through experiencing a life-changing injury or gaining a new piece of information that challenges ones’ views). In such situations, relying on the tried and true identity can cause suffering, whereas personal evolution and reinvention can bring one to greater health and functioning. In short, maybe there is something to be said for knowing thyself, but not knowing thyself too well. 3) Finally, I would add that Erikson’s view of identity development focuses too much on how one navigates the available options (“available roles, occupational possibilities, values offered”). I don’t think he leaves enough room for self-exploration and creation. For many, the available options are limiting and oppressive, and a healthy identity must flow from the inside out.
These are all minor points of disagreement, since overall I really like Erikson’s model. Basically, I just think that developing an adaptive identity in today’s world requires much more time and attention than his model gives credit. Thus this blog. I’ll be revisiting this topic in the future, and maybe even working on a model for adult development based on my own experiences. In the meantime, I think some less intellectual posts are in order.
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